


It's You I'll Fall For

by Binary_Sunset



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: (Credence has a crush on his boss and his boss is crushing back), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Auror Credence, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mission Fic, Non-Graphic Violence, Undercover Missions, a criciatus curse is used but I don't think it warrants a torture tag, mild power difference, should be a tag but it isn't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-12
Updated: 2017-12-12
Packaged: 2019-02-07 22:56:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12851298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Binary_Sunset/pseuds/Binary_Sunset
Summary: Credence has officially been a junior Auror for long enough to qualify for a promotion. However, in order to complete his training, he has to successfully finish a solo mission. The one he's given doesn't sound too difficult, but such things can be deceiving...





	It's You I'll Fall For

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Chiaroscuro](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chiaroscuro/gifts).



> I was assigned the lovely Chiaroscuro for Fantastic Gifts! Darling, I hope you had a lovely holiday season. Please enjoy this thing I've written for you!
> 
> Chiaroscuro's prompt was pretty open-ended, they just really wanted to see some Gradence with a happy ending. One of the potential prompts they mentioned was an AU where Credence and Graves were both Aurors, so that's how this happened. I tried to emphasise the power difference between the two of them, but I'm not sure how well that came across?? Anyway, I hope you enjoy this regardless.
> 
> (Title is a misheard lyric from [Gun](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktoaj1IpTbw) by CHVRCHES)

Credence knew his crush on Percival Graves would inevitably go sour. He’d stare too long or zone out during an important debrief and miss some essential detail. But he just couldn’t _help_ it. Graves was a handsome, intelligent, and very competent man, who was still always kind and supportive towards his staff.

Something about that combination set Credence’s heart aflutter every time they interacted, though it made weekly briefings incredibly distracting.

As Credence was lost in his thoughts, he suddenly realised that the meeting had ended and the rest of his coworkers were poised to leave. He stood up to join them when Director Graves gently touched his elbow.

“Credence? Are you okay with that?” Graves asked, his voice low, as if not wanting the others to hear him.

“I’m sorry, sir. What was that?”

“We’ve been tracking a potential extremist group for a while now, as you should know. Thanks to the hard work of Ramirez and Langley, we’ve been able to scope out the location for one of their meetings. As your final mission before becoming an official Auror, you’ll be going undercover and finding out everything you can about this organisation.”

“Oh.” Credence shifted uncomfortably. “Sir, do you think I’m ready for something like that?”

The Director shrugged. “I don’t see why not. You’ve been in the programme for four years, and Goldstein has had nothing but positive things to say about you. As far as I can tell, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be ready to work on your own.” He shot Credence a piercing look. “Assuming you can pay attention during briefings, of course.”

Credence felt his face flush. “I’m sorry, sir. It’s been a bit of an off day for me. But if it’s just recon, I can probably handle it on my own.” He’d done much more difficult missions with Tina, and remaining unnoticed was a bit of a specialty for Credence. Because he was so quiet and unassuming, most people didn’t even look twice at him, which was exactly what made him good at his job.

“Obviously, I’d be there to observe you, and serve as backup if anything goes wrong, but you’ll be expected to complete the mission on your own.”

Credence bit his lip. Sure, it was an easy mission, but he’d hardly done anything without his mentor in recent memory…

“Honestly, Credence, you really need to loosen up. I wouldn’t be giving this opportunity to you if I didn’t think you were capable of handling it. You’re the only Junior Auror I can actually trust to do anything more substantial than paperwork, and it’s time we let you come into your own.

Credence felt himself smile. “Thank you so much, sir. I’ll do my best not to let you down.”

“You won’t.” Graves opened the door and followed Credence out of the meeting room. “As we get more details from our undercover agents, I’ll need to continue to brief you on everything you should know. But seriously, don’t worry about it. You’ll do great.”

“Thank you, sir.” He took a turn down the hall and headed to the office he shared with Tina.

He opened the door and was greeted with the loud _pop_ of a champagne bottle. Tina was sitting on his desk, offending object in hand with a broad smile on her face.

“So, did Graves and I find the perfect mission for you or _what_?” she asked, clearly giddy. She hopped down from her perch and filled two glasses with the sparkling wine.

Credence smiled. He was still very apprehensive about the mission, but Tina’s excitement was infectious. “It’s a little early to celebrate, don’t you think? We don’t even know if I’ll get promoted yet.”

“The promotion isn’t what matters, you finally earned your first solo assignment!” She passed a glass to him before holding her own up in a toast. “Come on Credence, that’s worth drinking to. Your success in all future endeavours.”

“I suppose you’re right.” He tapped his glass against Tina’s, said “cheers”, and took a sip of the champagne.

It wasn’t bad. Credence didn’t drink often, but Tina always picked out the nicest wines and who was he to say no?

“Of course I’m right. I’m your mentor.” She finished up the rest of the glass before pouring herself another one. “And speaking of mentoring, we need to fill out a debrief from that last mission.”

Credence groaned. “You know, if someone had warned me at Ilvermorny that most of being an Auror was filing paperwork, I don’t think I would have been nearly as excited to be one.”

“That’s why we tend to keep it out of the recruitment material. No one likes paperwork. But it’s part of the job.” She sighed. “God, I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like for you to work on your own. Who are you going to complain about paperwork with when I’m not there?”

“Anyone who will listen,” Credence quipped. He took another sip of the champagne. “Seriously, though, thank you for all this. You’ve been a great mentor, and regardless of whether or not I pass and get promoted, I know you always did your best.”

Tina put a hand to her chest. “Credence, that’s so sweet of you to say! I hope you know that no matter how things go, I’ll always be in your corner.”

Credence raised an eyebrow, giving the Auror and affectionate smile. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

 

**•••**

 

Credence was called into the Director’s office first thing the next day, presumably to talk about the mission.

Though, once he got inside, Graves was nowhere to be found. He knew he was a bit early, so he just sat on one of the leather-padded chairs in front of his desk.

To pass the time, Credence pulled out his wand and played with it a bit. It was a bad habit that he’d picked up at Ilvermorny. Ever since the wand had chosen him that first day and he’d felt the weight in his hand, he’d known that this was where he belonged. Still, he’d spent a lot of time alone during his seven years in school and had picked up the habit of swishing it around aimlessly to sate his restless hands. Sometimes he’d accidentally cast a spell or two without even realising it, but eventually his wand seemed to acclimate to the habit.

He’d nearly dropped it, though, when he heard the door open and Graves enter the room. He’d almost forgotten why he was here.

“Oh! Good morning! I got in a bit early, so I figured I should just let myself in.”

Graves took a seat in front of him, coffee in hand. “No worries, I figured that was the case.” He pulled a folder from the drawers on the side of his desk. “We’ve gotten some more details about your mission, and I’m afraid you may not like it.”

Credence shifted in his seat, keeping his eyes on Graves. “Okay.”

“I’ll start with the obvious. There’s been a lot of evidence to suggest that this group has ties to Gellert Grindelwald. Though it seems he’s been in Europe lately, it’s possible that some of his supporters might also be there.”

“I mean, that’s not exactly surprising. We knew that they seemed to have a distaste for no-majs. It’s not exactly a shock that they’re in league with Grindelwald and his ilk,” Credence figured.

Graves took a sip of his coffee. “I know, I just wanted to make sure you knew that we’re almost positive now.”

“They’re just bullies. I’m not afraid of them.”

Graves nodded solemnly, before flipping to the next page. “The newest report from Langley and Ramirez also implies that they’re working with magical creature trafficking. They’re aren’t sure if this is just for resources or monetary gain or if they’re actually going to have a beast present at the meeting, but it _is_ something to be aware of.”

“Alright.”

“Finally, we’ve actually received some fairly disturbing news. Ramirez and Langley’s cover was blown.”

“Are they doing alright? I hope they weren’t hurt.”

Charlotte Langley and Angela Ramirez were two of the sweetest Aurors in the whole division. Angela was a couple years younger than Credence, and this was to be her first real field mission. She was a bit wild and almost seemed allergic to following orders, but she was known as a skilled duelist even back in her Ilvermorny days. He’d been on the receiving end of enough stunning spells to know that for sure, but she was always a good sport about it. As for Langley, she was in her mid-fifties and looking to retire from field work altogether once Angela was no longer working under her wing. Credence hardly knew either of them, but they were certainly talented.

If either of them hadn’t made it back...

Graves shook his head. “No, they’re doing fine, but they’ve both been pretty badly obliviated. Langley can hardly remember what her mission was, and Ramirez has been in counselling for the last couple of days. They’re expected to recover well, but their memories are probably completely wiped clean.”

“Oh. Is the threat level high, then?” Threat levels were a quick shorthand used in briefing. They started at blue, and then got more into warm colours as the mission got more dangerous, with red meaning almost certain death for even the most skilled Auror.

“We’re looking at a green. It won’t be a walk in the park for you, but it shouldn’t be impossible to handle,” Graves explained, reading over the notes. “It doesn’t seem like they’re especially powerful or especially clever.”

Credence chuckled. “That’s a relief.”

“ _But_ this paperwork was filled out before they were found out, so they might actually be more dangerous than we originally thought. If they’re powerful enough, they might pose a genuine threat. And they’ll be on guard, since they’ve found traitors among their ranks already. If you’d like to back out of this mission, I wouldn’t blame you.”

Credence paused, thinking over his options. Both of the Aurors who had been caught had certainly been worth their salt but...

This was a good opportunity, and it was unlikely they’d know the exact time and place of something like this ever again. Graves had seemed so positive that Credence could handle this mission before, as had Tina.

“If you still think I can handle it, I’ll do it, sir.”

Graves smiled. “That’s the spirit. Honestly, I think you’ll do fine. However, if you really don’t think you can succeed at any time, or if you’re in any danger, _please_ call me for backup. I’m there to protect you. You’re one of the best Junior Aurors we have, I’d hate to lose you to some no-maj-hating scumbags.”

Credence felt his face flush. He knew it was just an honest appraisal of his skills, but it was still very high praise from his very handsome boss. “Thank you, sir. I hope I won’t let you down.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that. You’re dismissed.”

“Thank you, sir.” He stood up and made his leave from the office.

 

**•••**

  
  


So far, things seemed to be going alright with the mission. Credence was out of his Auror uniform, trading it for a simple suit. With his hair tied back, he looked almost unrecognisable, not that most people would expect such a lanky, frail-looking boy to be an Auror anyhow. He stuck his wand in his pocket and went to meet Graves in an alley a few blocks away from the empty warehouse where the meeting was to be held.

Graves was leaning up against the alley wall, checking his wristwatch. He seemed not to notice Credence yet, so the young Auror tried to get a good look at him.

He was dressed in his Auror blacks, the simple outfit (nothing more than a black shirt, black pants, and a long black coat) was a far cry from the usual tailored suits Graves seemed to favour around the office. It wasn’t unwelcome, though. It all suited him quite well, though he was a bit difficult to see in the shadows. Credence supposed that was the point.

“Good evening, Director,” Credence said quietly.

Graves looked up from his watch to make eye contact with the young Auror. “You’re here early.”

“Well, you know what they say: early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable.” He chuckled, trying to hide his nervousness.

Graves didn’t seem amused by Credence’s quip. “Did you bring everything I told you to?”

Credence nodded. “I’m dressed casually, there’s no evidence of my occupation on me, and I brought my pocket knife.”

“Good. I also brought a few things you’ll need before you go in.” Graves dug around in his pocket and pulled out a brass ring with a strange symbol on it. It was a triangle, bisected by a straight line with a circle around it. He placed it in Credence’s hand.

It fit snugly on his left middle finger, though it looked a bit gaudy compared to the relative plainness of the rest of Credence’s outfit.

He stared at it, letting it glint in the faint moonlight. It was never something he would have personally picked up, had he seen it in a shop somewhere, but it was certainly rather charming in its own right.

“What is it?” he asked.

“That’s the symbol of the Deathly Hallows,” Graves explained. “Everyone in this meeting will be wearing something with it tonight, so you’ll need it to blend in. I’ve also charmed it so if you touch it, it’ll let me know that you need my help.”

Credence took his right hand away from the ring and forcibly shoved it in his pocket. He’d have to resist the urge to play with it during the meeting. The last thing he’d want was to blow his cover unintentionally and put both himself and Graves in danger.

“Smart. Do we know why they’re so invested in this symbol?”

“We’re not sure, but we think it has something to do with Gellert Grindelwald. Whether they’re actually following him or just copycats, we’re not sure.” Graves pulled out his wand.

“I guess we’ll probably figure out more about that tonight.”

Graves nodded. “I hope so.” He checked his watch again. “The meeting is about to start, you should go. I’ll be right here if you need backup. You’re going to want to use the back entrance of the warehouse and if you use the knock I showed you, it should let you in.”

“Alright I will. Thank you.” He turned his back on the Director and took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

He approached the door in the back of the warehouse and knocked in a specific pattern, causing it to slowly open.

There was no turning back now. Not that he wanted to, of course, but there was a strange sort of finality to it. Aside from Graves being on call in case of an emergency, Credence was alone in enemy territory for the very first time.

Luckily, it seemed almost no one had noticed Credence’s entrance. The focus of the entire crowd (aside from a couple curious glances towards him) was on the man in the very front of the warehouse.

He was elevated, clearly standing atop something, though Credence couldn’t quite see what it was. His wand was pressed to the side of his neck, amplifying his voice to fill the whole room. Beside him was something large and boxy, covered in some sort of cloth. Though Credence couldn’t quite see what was inside, it seemed to jerk and move on occasion, as if something inside of it was struggling to get out.

Credence instinctively gripped his wand. This must have been whatever they were collaborating with creature traffickers to get their hands on. There was something in that case and it was _angry_.

Still, he wasn’t here to fight the thing. He was here to get information. He gently let his wand go and listened closely to the man in the front of the room.

He looked deceptively normal, like someone Credence might walk past on the street and think nothing of. His black hair was slicked back in a way that almost reminds Credence of Mister Abernathy, and even his clothes didn’t look particularly out of the ordinary, just a normal suit like the kind most wizards would wear to work each day. His face was so astoundingly uninteresting that it was almost disturbing, like there was absolutely nothing interesting at all about this man.

And yet, as Credence listened, he knew that this couldn’t be further from the truth.

“I am sure all of you are as sick as I am of cowering like rats in the gutter,” he said, his voice clear and enunciated. He sounded like a politician at a rally. “Of staying in the shadows, unable to reveal our true nature to the world.”

This was met with cheers and whoops from the audience, which Credence joined in on to keep his cover.

“Despite the clear superiority of our kind, the limitless power of our magic, we are forced to hide away.”

The crowd hissed and booed with disgust.

  
“And why is that?” he continued, once his audience was finished reacting. “Why must we, beings of incredible potential and a limitless capacity for exerting our will on the world, be forced to arrange our lives among the whims of some lesser people? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could take our rightful place on top of the world, forcing no-majs into the subservience they so deserve?” He gestured towards the covered object, allowing the crowd to cheer some more. “This, my friends, this and many other things I have collected for you, will be the key to our freedom!”

He flicked his hand, causing the sheet to fall away, revealing a large cage. The metal bars were packed closely together. The thing inside looked like some sort of coarse, black fabric made living by some sadistic wizard choosing to ignore the laws of nature. Despite having no visible mouth, it let out a wretched screeching sound before balling itself up and slamming up against the side of the cage. There was a loud, metallic _clang_ , but the cage didn’t yield.

There was a murmur of confusion throughout the crowd. Credence couldn’t blame them. This wasn’t a puffskein or a goblin, or anything else the average wizard might come across, for that matter. It wasn’t a Thunderbird or a Wendigo or anything native to the continental United States. Credence only knew what it was because he’d had to study them for his Auror exams.

It was a lethifold, and, judging by its relative thinness and aggressive behaviour, it was hungry and very _very_ angry.

“I’ve collaborated with a few friends of mine in the creature business. We were able to smuggle fifty of these into the city, and as of tomorrow at noon, they will be released into densely-packed no-maj areas all over the city. And I’m sure you can understand where I’m going from here.”

He walked over towards the lethifold, placing his hand against the cage. The audience gasped as the thing lunged for it, bearing its unnaturally large teeth and attempting to take a bite out of his flesh.

“They are ravenous, and _incredibly_ destructive. You can see how, even now, it lunges for me. Though this cage is specifically made to contain it, most no-maj buildings are not. They’re voracious eaters, so you could imagine them having _quite_ a field day on the streets of New York, gobbling up no-majs and leaving nothing but bloodstains and destroyed property in their wake. And when MACUSA come to save the day, wizardkind will be exposed.” He walked back up to the crate. “You see, my friends, in its attempt to protect no-majs, MACUSA’s exposure is inevitable. They may be a powerful adversary, but even an army of Obliviators can’t erase the memories of an entire city. And in the chaos that ensues, we will be a symbol of order! We will take control!”

The entire crowd cheered loudly as the man in the front of the room bowed and smiled smugly. Outwardly, Credence did his best to go along with the cheering, and attempt to hide his disgust. Killing innocent no-majs just for personal gain? Credence probably had more reason to hate them than any other person in the building, and even then he still found the whole thing despicable.

He quietly scanned the crowd, watching as people cheered and whooped, when suddenly he was approached by one of the members of the crowd.

It was a young, blonde woman with her hair in a loose bun. Credence’s blood froze as he realised who she was.

Her name was Angela Ramirez, the Junior Auror who’d supposedly been obliviated during the mission. And she was staring at him with more recognition in her eyes than any freshly-obliviated person had any right to.

She’d know who he was. His cover had been blown.

No sooner than Credence put everything together, she drew her wand and cast a disarming charm. Credence cast a quick _protego_ to block against it, holding his wand towards her.

They stood for a moment, their eyes locked and wands at the ready.

From the corner of his eye, Credence could see the crowd now staring, not at the front but at the confrontation between Credence and Angela.

The man in the front scanned the crowd. “What’s going on back there?”

“I found a rat, sir,” she announced proudly, before flicking her wand.

Credence suddenly felt his arms snap behind him, as if pulled back by some invisible force. He tried to pull his arms back out in front of him, but they were magically bound. He cursed under his breath.

Angela came up behind him and kicked him to the ground, knocking the breath from his lungs in the process.

“His name is Credence Barebone and he’s a Junior Auror,” she continued, still perched on his back.

Even with his body bound, Credence still tried to struggle beneath her. He may had been nearly immobilised, but if he could just move his hands a little and get to his ring…

The man in the front of the room was slowly making his way through the crowd towards Credence. “Isn’t that funny? Did MACUSA really think we would be bested by some dandy boy who’s probably too young to vote?”

“I’m not a dandy, and I’m twenty-five,” he muttered, staring the man down. He was tempted to tell him that Director Percival Graves himself had said he was one of the most capable Junior Aurors they had, but he figured that would fall on deaf ears.

Angela moved her foot up to the back of his head, pressing his face into the warehouse’s dusty floors. “He doesn’t have a family. Aside from a couple of his coworkers, no one would even know he was missing. Lay down their lives in the line of duty?”

Credence growled under his breath. He’d chosen this job because he’d wanted to protect people, not because he had a death wish. If it weren’t for this damn binding curse, he’d get up and show them what even a Junior Auror can do.

“I like the way you think,” the man responded, his tone smug. “Perhaps we could make a bit of a show of it, hm? Show these people what happen to those who uphold a biased status quo?"

He felt Angela’s weight leave his body. Without use of his arms, getting up again would be easier said than done, but he was at least able to pop his head up for long enough to see the man draw his wand before giving it a quick flick.

“ _Crucio_!”

They’d had a class about unforgivable curses before his Auror exams. The woman who taught it assured them that it would be depressingly useful in their line of work and, unfortunately, it seems she was right.

He breathed deeply, trying to focus on something other than his present situation. In class, they’d been encouraged to go back to a happy time in their mind in the seconds before the curse hit. It wouldn’t do much to dull the pain, but at least they’d be able to keep their minds for as long as possible.

He thought about Mount Greylock and its steep cliffs and jagged valleys, about the hikes he’d take on his own to explore the woods and see what he could find. He tried to picture the Ilvermorny campus in the fall, scarlet and orange and gold leaves as far as the eye could see and all manner of wild fruits to pick and eat. He tried to name all the birds he could remember that were native to the area, as he’d rather taken to birdwatching while he was up there.

Cedar waxwings and tree sparrows and chickadees and--

Suddenly, Credence’s entire body was alight with pain. It felt as if he was being set on fire from every possible angle. Even his own blood seemed to be made of molten steel, and he could feel it coursing through his limbs and his chest, from the top of his head down to the soles of his feet.

He couldn’t help but scream. It didn’t do much to dull the pain, but it was better than keeping what he was feeling bottled up inside him. He couldn’t see the reactions of the onlookers, his focus was forced internally, but if he listened carefully, he was sure he heard them cheering.

After what felt like several minutes, the pain subsided. It wasn’t long before he’d heard the incantation again, and tried to bring his mind back to the forest and away from this place. What else did he remember?

Bluebirds and starlings and mourning doves--

Another wave of pain overtook him, distracting him from the list. He tried to wrench his mind back to his list. Had he forgotten cardinals? How had he let that one slip his mind?

And what was the name of the bird that always sang so beautifully outside his room in the springtime? It was some sort of thrush wasn’t it?

The pain finally subsided and Credence came to, his eyes snapping open as he was being dragged across the floor of the warehouse. Despite the fact that his mind was mostly okay, his body _ached_. He’d had no control over it while he was being cursed and now almost every single muscle felt completely overworked. The binding around his arms seemed to have come undone while he was being tortured, likely due to his convulsions, which was a small blessing. Carefully, he tapped the ring Graves had given him, silently hoping he would get the message. He needed the backup.

He couldn’t see precisely what was going on, but once he heard the creaking of a metal cage, he knew exactly what was happening.

They were putting him in with the lethifold.

Well, that certainly put things in perspective. He gripped his wand, knowing that he wasn't going to get out of this easily. If he was lucky, Percy got the memo and was on the way. If he wasn't…

Well, he didn't want to think about that.

Credence felt his back hit the hard floor of the stage. He was so close to the lethifold that he could hear it slithering across the floor, see its too-sharp teeth that seemed to appear and disappear without rhyme or reason.

He had to come back to himself. He was an Auror, God damn it, or at least he was trying to be.  Patronuses were never his strong suit, but he knew better than to just give up without a fight.

He tried to bring himself back to Ilvermorny, back to the forest with the birds that he loved so much. It wasn’t the preferred headspace to be in, but it was the best he could muster after being tortured.

Credence held out his wand and shouted the incantation. A small puff of silver light escaped it, causing the Lethifold to hiss pitifully and retreat back to the other corner of the cage. But it was hungry and upset, so it wasn’t long before it lunged for Credence again, one of its sharp teeth biting into his shoulder and drawing blood.

He’d cast five more patronuses, none of them corporeal, to meet every one of the Lethifold’s attacks until he finally heard a loud roar come from the entrance to the warehouse.

He took a moment to look over and see what had made the noise and his heart almost stopped.

It was a massive, silver Wampus cat about as big as an automobile that shone like a beacon in the dim light of the room. And behind the creature, wand at the ready, was Percival Graves looking especially beautiful in the soft, silver light.

Even just the presence of the patronus had an effect on the Lethifold. It groaned and hissed as it recoiled against the light. Credence took the opportunity to cast another non-corporeal patronus to get the Lethifold as far away from him as possible.

It wasn’t particularly necessary, though, as the Wampus cat phased through the bars of the cage and came straight for the Lethifold. With one chomp of its massive, silver jaws, the creature vanished with a pitiful whimper.

Following closely behind his patronus, Graves unlocked the cage with a nonverbal _alohomora_ , gripped Credence, and held him tightly to his chest.

He would have _loved_ the opportunity to savour this moment, to take in how strong Graves arms were or the scent of his cologne. But, alas, it was not meant to be, as he suddenly felt himself being stretched and pulled in all directions. By the time the whole thing was over with, Credence found himself once again in Graves’ arms, standing in the lobby of a large apartment he couldn’t recognise.

“Sorry about that, it was the only place I could think to go,” he explained before letting Credence go. “I’ll get you to the Healer’s offices once MACUSA properly opens in the morning, but, for now, let’s get a good look at you.”

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m feeling fine. I’m…”

Graves cut him off. “No, you’re not. You’re bleeding from the shoulder and you look like you’ve seen a ghost, so cut this ‘I’m gonna pretend I’m fine even though I’m not’ shit so I can actually get you cared for properly. You don’t need to hide anything from me, you know. I’m your boss, and this is my job.”

Credence put a hand to his bleeding shoulder, suddenly painfully aware of the warm blood oozing from the wound there. He’d almost been able to forget it while he was fighting for his life but now that the adrenaline was wearing off, his condition was clear to him.

His body ached from where the cruciatus curses had pulsed through him, the muscles sore from the seizing they caused. His shoulder hurt, especially when he tried to move it. The joint certainly still worked, but it caused a fresh layer of blood to dribble down his arm. His head was starting to spin, though whether it was because of blood loss, adrenaline, or repeated curses, he wasn’t sure.

All in all, he wasn’t _bad_ , per say, but it certainly wasn’t how he thought he’d feel at the end of his first solo mission.

A wave of dizziness washed over him, causing him to temporarily lose his balance. He gripped one of Graves’ shoulders, attempting to steady himself.

“I need to lie down.”

“Okay, okay. You can stay on my sofa for now.” He carefully lead Credence into his apartment’s living room and placed him on a large, plush sofa. “Do you want something? Food? Tea?”

“That would be wonderful, thank you.”

He felt Graves drape a blanket over his body before his footsteps disappeared to Credence’s back.

Credence looked at the wound on his shoulder and cast a quick _episkey_ to heal it. The last thing he’d want was to bleed on Graves’ very expensive furniture. It was so soft beneath his head he almost didn’t need a pillow.

Graves returned quickly with a hot mug of tea and a simple sandwich. Credence sat up, wrapped the blanket around his shoulders, and blew on the tea to cool it. He raised it to his lips and took a sip. It was warm and comforting and tasted of peppermint. It helped a bit. His nerves seemed to buzz less, and it just generally felt good to have something warm in his stomach.

Credence looked at Graves, _really_ looked at him for the first time since his grand rescue. His hair was completely wild, having come out of its usual style at some point during the commotion. The usually-immaculate uniform he’d worn earlier was all rumpled and out of place and he’d even taken off his long coat. The Director was much more unhinged and messy than Credence was used to. He definitely shouldn’t have looked so handsome, but something about seeing him in the almost-casual setting, it was hypnotic. It didn’t help that the undershirt that he was wearing was a plain, short-sleeved button-up. Credence had never noticed how toned Graves’ arms were, since they were often hidden under so many layers of clothing in the office. Despite his job as Director, Graves clearly hadn’t let himself go.

Credence took another sip of his tea before realising he was staring. Not that it mattered, of course. After a performance like that, there was simply no way he was being promoted. Hell, he’d be lucky if Graves was generous enough to let him keep his job.

He averted his eyes anyway, figuring it was better to be polite in this sort of situation. After all, his future was currently in the Director’s hands.

Where would he even go if he got fired? Assuming Graves took pity on him and he was still allowed anywhere near MACUSA, he was hardly suited for most other departments. He’d become an Auror because he knew he wouldn’t be able to handle a repetitive desk job or even an administrative one. Not after the thrill of Auror work, anyway. Though he figured he could probably work in Magical Objects or Magical Species. There was never a dull moment in either of those Departments.

Credence put the mug down on the coffee table. “So, uh… I guess I should probably start looking for a new job, huh?”

Graves looked at him, perplexed. “What are you talking about?”

“I completely blew my cover and nearly got myself killed! And I could’ve gotten you killed if things went really south! I failed your test and my first real solo mission! Why would you want to keep me around?”

Graves stared at him, gaping. “Are you kidding me? Credence, I’m not going to fire you just because a mission went poorly. You withstood _three_ cruciatus curses _and_ fought off a Lethifold despite that! Most people who pass the Auror exams can barely withstand one!”

“But I can’t cast a corporeal patronus,” Credence countered.

“You don’t need to. You were able to stay alive just fine until I got in there.” He walked over and sat on the arm of the couch near Credence’s head. “Look, you are incredible. Regardless of how tonight went, I was going to promote you. And despite everything that happened, you still blew me away with your abilities. And now we have all the information we need to stop this attack before it even happens. It’s okay that you were found out. It’s okay that you needed backup. What matters is that you gave your best and were able to adapt to whatever they threw at you. And it’s good that you know what you need to work on, but you should let yourself feel successful every once in a while.” He ran a hand through Credence’s hair and smiled at him. “You did great.”

Credence felt his face flush. This was such a familiar gesture on Graves’ part, and he was nowhere near used to it. But it was so gentle and sweet that Credence couldn’t help but lean into it. “Thank you.”

“You take the day off tomorrow and rest, okay? I’ll call in a team of healers to check you out in the morning once I’m finished alerting the whole department to this Lethifold business, so don’t worry about that. Finish up your meal and take all the time you need. Lord knows you’ve earned it.” Graves got up from the sofa and walked out of Credence’s sight, presumably to his bedroom.

Credence laid down on the plush sofa after he finished his food. It was so comfortable that he really didn’t need a pillow… He took a few deep breaths, and before he knew it, he’d fallen into a somewhat peaceful sleep.

 

**•••**

 

Credence woke up to the sound of something shuffling behind him. When he opened his eyes and saw the unfamiliar apartment, he felt panic seize over him before the events of last night came back.

Then he felt his face flush. He’d just spent the night in Director Graves’ apartment. What would his coworkers think?

Credence looked over the back of the couch and caught a glimpse of Graves in the kitchen, preparing a pot of coffee. The junior Auror got up, his limbs still aching dully from the night before.

“Hey,” he said walking up to the Director. “Make enough for me?”

“Well, I was trying not to wake you up, so not really. Besides, you should get back to bed. You still went through a lot last night.”

“I know, but I feel alright now. A little sore, but otherwise I’m in good shape. And I want coffee.”

Graves sighed and poured a mug for Credence. “You drive a hard bargain, you know.”

“I know, trust me.” Credence added some milk and sugar to his coffee and took a long sip. It was surprisingly high-quality coffee, and much stronger than anything Credence was used to.

There was a moment of silence between them, broken only by the sound of Graves’ fingers tapping on the side on his mug.

He cleared his throat, and Credence looked at him expectantly.

“Look, I just want to apologise for my actions last night.”

Credence cocked his head. “What are you apologising for? Saving my life?”

“No, it’s not that.” Graves sighed and put his mug down. “I was a bit more physical last night than I think was appropriate. I know you needed the comfort, but it probably was in poor taste for me to be the one to give it--”

Credence couldn’t help but laugh at that. The sheer irony of his boss apologising for being so touchy-feely when that was _exactly_ what he wanted and then some certainly didn’t escape him. “Are you seriously apologising for touching me? Look, I mean, I really appreciate that you care about my comfort, but I promise you have nothing to worry about.”

“You seemed pretty okay with it last night, but I just wanted--”

Credence sighed and leaned over to press a kiss to Graves’ cheek. His face flushed, but he stammered out “It’s… not inappropriate if I like it, right?”

Graves’ entire turned bright red. “I… suppose not, no.”

“So… we’re good?” Credence asked before taking a nervous sip of his coffee.

Graves nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I think we are.” He downed the rest of his drink and then levitated the mug into his sink so quickly Credence was worried he might break it. “...good, I mean. We’re good.”

“Good. I’m glad we’re good.”

Graves walked frantically to get something from one of the cabinets before rushing over to give Credence a quick, chaste kiss on the lips. He tasted like fresh coffee with a slight hint of mint toothpaste. “You aren’t just getting this promotion because I like you.”

“I…didn’t think I was.” He smirked. “But if you’re gonna kiss me every time you say it, I might need a bit more convincing.”

**Author's Note:**

> Why do all my fics involve tea somehow? I swear, you could make a very dangerous drinking game out of that...
> 
> Fun Fact! All of the birds mentioned in Credence's happy place are actually native to Massachusetts! It's the state I grew up in, as well as Ilvermorny's location, so I figured I'd give the local wildlife some love. The bird whose name Credence can't remember is the hermit thrush, the state bird of Vermont (though it wasn't so named until the 1940's).
> 
> I made Credence's wand out of blackthorn wood because it tends to become intensely bonded to its wizard after going through some sort of hardship together. And let's face it you guys, Credence can't have it easy no matter which AU he's living in. Poor dear.
> 
> Also Graves' patronus being a Wampus kitty may or may not be a reference to [A Prowl of Wampuses](https://archiveofourown.org/series/682793) by morwrach, which is a must-read if you're a Gradence shipper.
> 
> I have a [tumblr](https://binary-suunset.tumblr.com/).


End file.
